Tertulia – Stephanie Dotto on “We Want Livvy!” NIL Rules, Social Media, and Male Fandom in NCAA Women’s Gymnastics

Our next online Tertulia talk in the Big Player Series, co-hosted by the Canada Research Chair in Physical Culture and Social Life, will be with Stephanie Dotto on “We Want Livvy!” NIL Rules, Social Media, and Male Fandom in NCAA Women’s Gymnastics.”
 
Wednesday, April 5 at 7:30pm (Atlantic time)
Register for the Zoom link here: 
 
About the talk
In 2021, the US Supreme Court ruled that student athletes playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) could receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL), something previously forbidden under the NCAA’s rules. Shortly thereafter, Olivia Dunne, a Louisiana State University (LSU) gymnast with huge social media followings, became the largest NIL earner of all NCAA athletes. However, when a horde of young male fans showed up outside of a meet, screaming for Dunne and heckling others, media celebration of Dunne quickly turned to hand-wringing. Media outlets, which have sometimes framed the new NIL rules as placing too much power in the hands of young athletes, cast Dunne as alternately responsible for the behaviour of her male fans and incapable of handling the burdens of fame. This framing is part of a larger, troubling conversation that draws on sexism and ageism to infantilize female gymnasts. 
 
About the speaker 

Stephanie Dotto has a PhD in Canadian Studies from Trent University, and currently teaches as a course instructor in the Department of Gender Studies and Social Justice at Trent University Durham. Her research focuses on race, class, performance, Canadian identity, and – more recently – gymnastics.

What is a tertulia? A tertulia can be described as a kind of philosophy café where participants talk about big thinkers, artists and ideas. This winter and spring, Tertulias Fredericton has put together a series on activists and social movements that have shaped our lives and allowed us to imagine a better future.
Tertulias Fredericton is supported by the NB Media Co-op, publisher of videos of the Tertulia talks, and Milda’s Pizza. Order Milda’s Pizza on Tertulia night and get a $3 discount on 10 inch pizzas. Discount code: Tertulias. Contact the cafe here.

For more information, visit Tertulias on Facebook or contact: fredericton.tertulia@gmail.com.

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